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Hawaii's Volcano

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Hawaii's Volcano Hawaii’s Volcano An Ongoing Exceptional Event Hawaii Department of Health (HDOH) Clean Air Branch NACAA Cleveland 2018 Hawaii • Island State • 8 main islands • Population 1.4 million • Oahu most populated • Hawaii (Big Island) second • Industry – Tourism How Vog Travels Pu’u ‘O’o Eruption • Erupting continuously since 1983 • Longest and most voluminous outpouring of lava Halema’uma’u eruption • March 2008 vent appeared at the Kilauea Summit • Substantially elevating SO2 emissions at 2 to 10 times background levels at times exceeding the NAAQS Lower East Rift Zone eruption • May 2018 – August 2018 • Fissure 8 – Not named yet Kilauea Volcano Emissions • Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) emissions were approximately >10,000 tons per day (TPD), at times >50,000 TPD • Highest SO2 emitter in the state is the HECO Power Plant on Oahu approximately 20 TPD VOG • Volcanic smog aerosols SO2 H2SO4 SO4 PM2.5 • Raymond Chuan study (1997) – Leeward side of island • Bimodal distribution – 1.7 mm, largely sodium sulfate and sodium chloride – 0.3 mm, almost entirely sulfuric acid – Windward side • Unimodal – 1.7 mm, dominant species sodium chloride VOG • Volcanic smog • “Haze” in the air caused by a combination of weather, wind conditions, and volcanic emissions & activity. • The direction & amount of wind, and other weather conditions affects the consistency of the vog. This image, taken by the crew of Space Shuttle Atlantis, shows volcanic plumes from Kilauea rising up from Halema‘uma‘u Crater, Pu‘u ‘O‘o vent, and from along the coastline where lava flows from the East Rift zone into the ocean. The plumes have created a blanket of vog over the Big Island of Hawai‘i. May 2009. NASA STS-125 crew, NASA Earth Observatory VOG on Oahu Vog Monitoring • Sulfur Dioxide, PM2.5, wind direction and wind speed • HDOH stations located in Kona and Hilo prior to 2008 • HDOH added 3 stations located in Mountain View, Ocean View and Pahala after 2008 • The stations monitor impacts in areas where the majority of the population live and work • HDOH developed an SO2 Short Term Advisory • The National Park Service (NPS) maintains two stations in the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (HVNP) • NPS developed their own advisory and website to alert park employees and visitors HDOH and NPS Existing Monitors How people affected? • Higher levels of sulfur dioxide and fine particulates emissions with possible exceedance of the NAAQS • Volcanic ash • Impacts to property, agriculture, and livestock • Short term and long term health effects • Increased doctors and hospital visits • Acid Rain • Effects on water catchment systems NAAQS Exceedances Volcanic Ash • Ash fall in Hawai‘i was reported in early 2008 in: – Pahala – Na‘alehu in Ka‘u • Described as “like dust” • Larger particles of ash fall closer to the source of the volcanic emission • Fine particles carry longer distances Rising plume from a March 2008 Halema‘uma‘u explosion, drifting over the deserted parking lot, which is coated in brown ash. U.S. Department of Interior, U.S. Geological Survey Explosion debris on Crater Rim Drive near the Halema‘uma‘u Overlook, March 2008. The largest fragments at this distance from the source vent (~350 m.) are about 2 cm. in diameter. The yellow stripes on the road are barely visible. U.S. Department of Interior, U.S. Geological Survey Volcanic Ash Health Issues • Short-term exposure to ash can cause eye, nose & throat irritation. • People with asthma, emphysema, & other respiratory conditions may experience: – Runny nose – Sore throat – Worsening of pre-existing respiratory conditions – Difficulty breathing – Eye & skin irritation A robust, brown, ash-rich plume from Halema‘uma‘u Crater, drifting over Crater Rim Drive on the Big Island of Hawai‘i, December 2008. U.S. Department of Interior, U.S. Geological Survey Lava enters the ocean (LAZE) Agricultural & Livestock Impacts Catchment Water Systems & Vog • Catchment water systems can collect acidic water that can leach harmful contaminants from roofing & plumbing materials. • Volcanic ash can get into the water, causing contamination, and interfering with common water treatment methods such as filtration and chlorination. • Homeowners should NOT use catchment water for drinking or preparing food. County water spigots should be used instead. Lower East Rift Zone Eruption May 3, 2018 Hawaii County Response • The County recognized the magnitude of the emission impact requested assistance from the State and Federal Agencies. • An emergency proclamation was issued • Emergency responders • Hazard assessments and surveys • Evacuations • Air Monitoring Viewer Emergency Response Agencies • Civil Defense • Hawaii Emergency Management Agency • District Health Office • Hazard Evaluation and Emergency Response • EPA – Emergency Response Team (ERT) • National Guard and Coast Guard • Fire Department/Police Agencies Local Federal Hawaii County Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Hawaii Fire Department (HFD) United States Coast Guard (USCG) Hawaii Police Department (HPD) Superfund Technical Assessment and Hawaii County Civil Defense (HCCD) Response Team (START) University of Hawaii Response Engineering and Analytical Center for the Study of Active Volcanoes Contract (REAC) Hawaii County Data Systems Federal Fire Department Public Works National Park Service (NPS) National Oceanic and Atmospheric State Administration (NOAA) 93d Civil Support Team (CST) National Weather Service (NWS) Hawaii National Guard Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) State Civil Defense American Red Cross Hawaii State Laboratories (HSL) United States Public Health Service Hilo Hospital (USPHS) Ka’u Hospital United States Geological Service – Hawaii Pacific Disaster Center (PDC) Volcano Observatory (USGS -HVO) Department of Health (DOH) Edgewood Chemical Biological Center Hazard Evaluation Emergency Response Hazard Survey • Planned and executed more than 80 Survey missions • Conducted 18 sorties of air-insertion Surveys to monitor isolated hazard areas • Deployed strategic network of Area Rae monitors to provide early warning system for residential areas near the volcano • Provided QRae and Area Rae training to over 50 HFD Hazmat (Train the Trainer) • Assisted Hawaii County with developing a comprehensive SO2 response plan Pahala SO2 Levels (July 24, 2008) Air Monitoring Viewer HDOH and EPA • Provide assistance to the County • Deployed portable temporary air monitors (EPA) • Developed emergency response action levels with input from EPA, Hawaii Poison Center and ATSDR/CDC • Provide public advisories and information via website, brochures, and community meetings • Additional ambient air monitoring Emergency Response - AIR • Temporary Air Monitoring – MIT Sensors for SO2 9 sensors placed approximately 30 additional sensors arriving for various pollutants – EPA monitors for SO2, H2S, PM10 and PM2.5 – Data available to Civil Defense and Hawaii County – Borrowed monitors from other states/agencies arriving Temporary EPA Monitors • Data used for emergency response efforts in the lower East Rift Zone • Measures SO2 and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) • 15 EPA stations • Majority placed around the active fissure area • Few placed in the southern and western areas of Hawaii island • Replaced with DOH owned temporary monitors Temporary EPA Monitors http://www.hiso2index.info/assets/FinalSO2Exposurelevels.pdf Schools affected by the Vog • Provide portable SO2 monitors • Email alerts from HDOH stations • Developed an action plan • Shelter in Place Advisory System • Established station alarm to alert Hawaii County Civil Defense and schools • HDOH dissemination of the monitored results to the public through websites, text or email notifications • PM2.5 Air Quality Index on EPA AirNow website • Hawaii SO2 Advisory • Hawaii Ambient Air Quality AirNow Message on AirNow page AirNow EnviroFlash • Email notifications • Subscribe at http://www.enviroflash.info/ Hawaii SO2 Advisory Hawaii Ambient Air Quality VMAP Vog Measurement and Prediction Project • University of Hawaii at Manoa – Steven Businger, PI, Dept. of Meteorology – Keith Horton, CO PI, Hawaii Institue of Geophysics and Planetology – Roy Huff, Dept. of Meteorology • Collaborators Jeff Sutton, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Tamar Elias, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Roland Draxler, NOAA Air Resources Laboratory Air Quality Data on the Internet • Hawaii Short Term SO2 Advisory: • http://www.hiso2index.info/ • AIRNow’s Hawaii State Page: http://airnow.gov/now.local_state&stateid=12&tab=0 • National Park Service – Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: http://www.nature.nps.gov/air/WebCams/parks/havoso2alert/havoalert.cfm • Hawaii Ambient Air Quality Data: http://emdweb.doh.hawaii.gov/air-quality/ • Vog Measurement and Prediction Project VMAP: http://mkwc.ifa.hawaii.edu/vmap/hysplit/ Hawaii Interagency Vog Information Dashboard General Information • Hawaii Interagency Vog Information Dashboard: http://vog.ivhhn.org • National Park Service for park closures and advisories www.nps.gov/havo/closed-areas.htm • County of Hawaii Kilauea Eruption Update http://lavainfo.us • Hawaii county civil Defense for current information, advisory or message http://co.hawaii.hi.us/cd/message.htm • American Lung Association of Hawaii http://www.ala-hawaii.org/ Ambient Air Monitoring Existing HDOH and NPS Monitors • 5 HDOH and 2 NPS monitoring stations • Measures sulfur dioxide (SO2) and particulates (PM2.5) • Located in Kona, Hilo, Ocean View, Pahala, Mountain View and the Volcano National Park • Data available on websites • Puna station was taken by the lava Pahala and
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